Improvement in water-indicators tor boilers



. ,time

WILLIAM v. DUBoIs, or COVINGTON, INDIANA; 'AssIeNoru fro HIMsELr, WILLIAM A. sANesTnn, AND I. e. sANesfrEn, or SAME PLAGE.

Lette'rs Patent No. 85,435, dated December 29, 1868.

4 I IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-INDICATORS r'R BOILERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom tt mtv/y concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM V. DUBOIS, of Covington, in the county of Fountain, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water-Gauges and Alarms for Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and usel the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, ih which- Figure l represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of a boiler provided with my improvement.

Figure 2 represents a front elevation of thesame.

Figure 3 represents a Inodication of one part of my invention.

Similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding arts. p The object of this invention is to provide animproved self-acting water-gauge, for indicating the heightI of the water, and regulating the y supply for steam-boil# ers; also an alarm, for giving.v notice when the water in the boiler is too low.

It consists of an indicator-finger, arranged on the end of the boiler, to be-worked over a scale, whereon the height of the water is shown, by an oscillating shaft passing througha cock in the head of the boiler, with a ground seat, 0 1' a seat otherwise made steamtight, and connected, internally, by a lever to a oat, whereby the oscillating motion is communicated to the said shaft. The said nger is also connected to the water-cock of the supply-pipe by levers ,andthe supply of water thereby regulated.

It also consists in the arrangement of the cock with an alarm-whistle, anda means of actuating the cock, to.admit the steam to the whistle, to cause au alarm when the water falls too low inthe boiler.

In the drawings- A represents a steam-boiler, provided with a 'iioat, B which is made of any suitable metal, and connected by a lever, C, shown best in dotted lines in tlg. 2, to the valve-shaft D, passing through the cock E, and connected, at its outer end, to the pointer F, which, by

` Working over the scale G, indicates the height of water in the boilers.

The finger F is connected, by the lever H and connecting-rods I and K, to the cock L, in the supplypipe, and thereby regulates the amount of water thrown into the boiler.

As the waterin the boiler falls, the saidoock be opened wider, as is well understood.

Incase the apparatus, as above described, fails to keep theboiler properly supplied, as sometimes occurs,

by reason of failure of the pumps, or from other causes,-

it is desirable to provide a means o'f notifying the 'attendant, which I have accomplished. in the following manner: L

The shaft D is arranged to have. a slight reciprocating movement, and the lateral opening M, in the same, is intended to be'forced outward by the pressure of the steam, when the boiler is in proper workingcondition, so as not to be incommunication with the' passage N. The cock E, at its' outer end, is provided with a yoke, O, from the upper bow of which is'suspended a weighted curved wedge, the bit of which -is set between the end of the shaft D and the point of a setscrew, Q, arranged in the said yoke, coincident with the axis of the said shaft.

- The linger F is provided with a pin, l, which strikes ythe stem of thewedge, when the Water falls to a certain level, and forces the said shaft D inward, opening y communication from the passage IVI to the Ywhistle,

thereby warning the attendant of the condition of the water.

Insteadof the weighted wedge l?, a lever, Q, may

be secured to the screw, as shown in g.,3, and armanner as the lever of the wedge is actuated, so as to turn the screw in the direction to force the shaft D, of the cock, inward, and thereby allow the steam to escape into the'whistle.

The shaft D, of the cock, may, instead of being provided with the central bore and the lateral passage M,

be arranged to allow the steam to escape"aronnd it, when the valve is raised off the seat.

Having thus described my invention,`

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the cock E, of the whistle N, weighted wedge P, and valve-shaft D, substantially as described.

2. The arrangement of the oat B, arms O F, cock E, scale G, lever H, connecting-rods I K, and the water-cock L, substantially as described.

WILLIAM V.' DUBOIS.

Witnesses H. 0. PATTERSON, WM. N WILLIs. 

